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Founder of Trunk Studios, Rima Alijew, has expanded her Sydney wellness operation to include classes in Pilates, barre and yoga - notwithstanding COVID challenges.

Alijew was working full time as a lawyer when she launched her first wellness studio, Trunk Studios in 2018 in Dulwich Hill.  Although Trunk Studios started from humble beginnings with Alijew investing her personal savings, it now boasts studios in two locations and hosts over 70 classes per week.  

Within the first nine months of opening, Alijew realised she needed to create more class variety to see real success, so she added Pilates and barre to the yoga timetable. This type of flexibility has allowed Trunk Studios to stay fresh and relatable to its clients. A couple of years later, Alijew saw the opportunity to expand, so in 2021 she added a Camperdown Trunk Studios venue.

The biggest challenge came for Trunk Studios during the COVID lockdowns. The first lockdown coincided with the opening of the reformer studio, and the second coincided with the opening of the Camperdown studio. With a lack of Government funding, especially the second time around, Trunk Studios took a hit.

Alijew (pictured below) advised “It was such a tough time for businesses everywhere. But our community got us through it. Our members were so supportive and loyal. We created an online library of videos for members to access, and I made an extra effort to catch up with my staff and make sure they knew I was thinking of them.”

At Trunk Studios, Alijew is passionate about listening to her clients’ needs, creating a personalised service and helping her clients build a positive relationship with themselves - inside and out. Alijew believes that health is not just about how you look, but it’s about how you feel inside.  

Alijew is originally from Germany, having migrated to Australia in 2009 at the age of 22. At that time, she spoke very little English but her determination to succeed saw Alijew complete her law degree in Australia in only two and a half years, and at one point, she was the youngest female working in her senior management role in the corporate world at Coles by 12 years.

“I had climbed the corporate ladder, but I wasn’t satisfied. I had always dreamed about opening a business with a holistic approach,” says Alijew. “I tried Pilates and yoga as a change of my normal routine and fell in love. I especially like that Pilates is used by physiotherapists in a therapeutic way.”

Alijew accounts the success of Trunk Studios to her passion for creating a sense of community among her members and suggests the stand-out feature of her studios is their primary focus on holistic health. Trunk Studios aims to be inclusive and enjoyable for all members due to its affordability, small class sizes and approachable teaching staff.

Alijew shares “I wanted to make sure my clients felt comfortable in my studios. I wanted to give them the opportunity to build friendships with each other and to feel they were being guided with proper attention by their class teachers.

She describes her team as being passionate, thoughtful and knowledgeable and states that “without them, Trunk Studios wouldn’t be where it is today.”

Although COVID was tough, it hasn’t slowed down Alijew’s determination at all. By the end of the year, she plans to open a third studio in Sydney and grow her online platform, TrunkTV.

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